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Question

What is the exact sequence of ritual actions in the Day of Atonement ceremony (Leviticus 16), and what is the theological significance of each step? Verse-by-verse exegesis with Hebrew word studies for all key terms.

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ATONEMENT

  • For tabernacle and furniture LEV 16:15-20,33
  • In consummation of the Levites NUM 8:21
  • For those defiled by the dead NUM 6:11
  • Made for houses LEV 14:53
  • For sin, see below
  • By meat offerings LEV 5:11-13
  • By jewels NUM 31:50
  • By money EXO 30:12-16; LEV 5:15,16; 2KI 12:16
  • By incense NUM 16:46-50
  • By animals, see below
  • By Jesus, see below

DAY OF: - Time of: EXO 30:10; LEV 23:27; 25:9; NUM 29:7 - How observed: EXO 30:10; LEV 16:2-34; 23:27-32; NUM 29:7-11; ACT 27:9; HEB 5:3; 9:7,19,22

MADE BY ANIMAL SACRIFICES: EXO 29:36; 30:12-16; LEV 1:4; 4:20,22-35; 5:6-10; 6:7; 9:7; 10:17; 12:6-8; 14:12-32; 16:6,10,11,15-19,24-34; 17:11; 19:22; NUM 15:22-28; 28:22,30; 29:5,10,11; HEB 9:22

MADE BY JESUS: - Divinely ordained: LUK 2:30,31; GAL 4:4,5; EPH 1:3-12,17-22; 2:4-10; COL 1:19,20; 1PE 1:20; REV 13:8 - A mystery: 1CO 2:7 - With context: 1PE 1:8-12 - Made but once: HEB 7:27; 9:24-28; 10:10,12,14; 1PE 3:18 - Redemption by: MAT 20:28; ACT 20:28; GAL 3:13; 1TI 2:6; HEB 9:12; REV 5:9 - Typified: GEN 4:4 with HEB 11:4; GEN 22:2 with HEB 11:17,19; EXO 12:5,11,14 with 1CO 5:7; EXO 24:8 with HEB 9:20; LEV 16:30,34 with HEB 9:7,12,28; LEV 17:11 with HEB 9:22

UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO: PSA 40:6,7; ISA 53:4-12; DAN 9:24-27; ZEC 13:1; MAT 26:28; LUK 22:20; 24:46,47; JHN 1:29,36; 6:51; 11:49-51; ACT 17:2,3; 20:28; ROM 3:24-26; 4:25; 5:1,2,6-11,15-21; 1CO 1:17,18,23,24; 15:3; 2CO 5:18,19; GAL 1:3,4; 4:4,5; EPH 1:7; 2:13-18; 5:2,25; COL 1:14,19-22; 1TH 5:9,10; 1TI 2:5,6; TIT 2:14; HEB 1:3; 2:9,17; 9:12-15,25,26; 10:1-20; 12:24; 13:12,20,21; 1PE 1:18-20; 2:24; 3:18; 1JN 1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10; 5:6; REV 1:5; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11

SCAPEGOAT

  • General scriptures concerning: LEV 16:7-10,20-34

MERCY-SEAT

  • Description of: EXO 25:17-22
  • Placed on the ark of the testimony: EXO 26:34; 30:6; 31:7; 40:20; HEB 9:5
  • Materials of, to be a freewill offering: EXO 35:4-12
  • Made by Bezaleel: EXO 37:1,6-9
  • Sprinkled with blood: LEV 16:14,15
  • The shekinah upon: EXO 25:22; 30:6,36; LEV 16:2; NUM 7:89; 17:4; 1SA 4:4; 2SA 6:2; 2KI 19:15; 1CH 13:6; PSA 80:1; 99:1; ISA 37:16; HEB 4:16
  • In Solomon's temple: 1CH 28:11

BLOOD

  • Is the life: GEN 9:4; LEV 17:11,14; 19:16; DEU 12:23; MAT 27:4,24
  • Forbidden to be used as food: GEN 9:4; LEV 3:17; 7:26,27; 17:10-14; 19:26; DEU 12:16,23; 15:23; EZK 33:25; ACT 15:20,29; 21:25

SACRIFICIAL: - Without shedding of, no remission: HEB 9:22 - Sprinkled on altar and people: EXO 24:6-8; EZK 43:18,20 - Sprinkled on door posts: EXO 12:7-23; HEB 11:28

OF SIN OFFERING: - Sprinkled seven times before the curtain: LEV 4:5,6,17 - On the horns of the altar of sweet incense, and at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering: EXO 30:10; LEV 4:7,18,25,30; 5:9; 9:9,12

OF ATONEMENT: - Sprinkled on the mercy seat: LEV 16:14,15,18,19,27; 17:11

OF CHRIST: MAT 26:28; MRK 14:24; LUK 22:20; JHN 6:53-56; 19:34; ACT 20:28; ROM 3:24,25; 5:9; 1CO 10:16; 11:25; EPH 1:7; 2:13,16; COL 1:14,20; HEB 9:12-14; 10:19,20,29; 12:24; 13:12,20; 1PE 1:2,18,19; 1JN 1:7; 5:6,8; REV 1:5,6; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11

SANCTUARY

  • (The Holy of Holies)
  • In the tabernacle: HEB 9:2
  • Divine dwelling place: EXO 25:8
  • Reverence for: LEV 19:30; 26:2
  • In the charge of high priest: EXO 27:21; LEV 24:3; NUM 18:5
  • The Holy Place in the temple: LAM 2:7,20; EZK 42:20
  • Figurative: EZK 11:16
  • Symbolical: HEB 8:2,5

PRIEST (High Priest)

DUTIES OF: - Had charge of the sanctuary and altar: NUM 18:2,5,7 - To offer sacrifices: HEB 5:1; 8:3 - To burn incense: EXO 30:7,8; 1SA 2:28; 1CH 23:13 - On the Day of Atonement: EXO 30:10; LEV 16; HEB 5:3; 9:7,22,23 - Vestments of: EXO 28:2-43; 39:1-31; LEV 8:7-9 - Ablutions of: EXO 40:30-32; LEV 16:24 - Atonement for: LEV 16:6,24; EZK 44:27

PURIFICATION

  • (Sanitary and symbolical)
  • By blood: EXO 24:5-8; LEV 14:6,7; HEB 9:12-14,19-22
  • Washing parts of animal sacrifices in water: LEV 1:9,13; 9:14; 2CH 4:6
  • Penalty for non-observance: LEV 7:20,21; NUM 19:13,20

SCRIPTURES RELATING TO: GEN 35:2; EXO 19:10,14; 29:4; 30:18-21; 40:12,30-32; LEV 8:6; 14:8,9; 15:4-13,16-27; 16:4,24,26,28; 17:15; 22:3; NUM 8:6,7,21; 19:7,8,19; 2CH 4:6; MAT 15:2; MRK 7:2-9; HEB 9:10

INCENSE

  • Formula for compounding: EXO 30:34,35
  • Uses of: EXO 30:36-38; LEV 16:12; NUM 16:17,40,46; DEU 33:10
  • Offered morning and evening: EXO 30:7,8; 2CH 13:11
  • On the golden altar: EXO 30:1-7; 40:5,27; 2CH 2:4; 32:12
  • In making atonement: LEV 16:12,13; NUM 16:46,47; LUK 1:10
  • Offered by Nadab and Abihu in an unauthorized manner: LEV 10:1,2
  • Symbolical of the prayers of saints: PSA 141:2; REV 5:8; 8:3,4
  • GOAT — Ceremonial uses: EXO 12:5; GEN 15:9; DEU 14:4; 2CH 35:7
  • HOLINESS — Selected References: LEV 10:8-10; LEV 11:44,45; LEV 19:2; LEV 20:7,26; HEB 12:14
  • CONSECRATION — EXO 29:36,37; PSA 51:17
  • TABERNACLES, FEAST OF — LEV 23:34-43 (context: seventh month festivals)
  • ALTAR — EXO 27:1-8; LEV 16:18 (altar of incense in DOA)